Hamilton: TeamVodafone Sunday notes

TeamVodafone's clean sweep continues
Reigning V8 Supercar Champions TeamVodafone have continued to gain
momentum with Jamie Whincup winning the fourth round of the 2009
Championship at the Hamilton 400 in New Zealand today.
Whincup led home...

TeamVodafone's clean sweep continues

Reigning V8 Supercar Champions TeamVodafone have continued to gain
momentum with Jamie Whincup winning the fourth round of the 2009
Championship at the Hamilton 400 in New Zealand today.

Whincup led home the two Jim Beam Racing V8 Supercars of James Courtney
and Steven Johnson in what was a momentous day for TeamVodafone's
manufacturing base Triple Eight Race Engineering, who designed and built
four of the top five finishers.

After starting fourth following a controversial qualifying
session, Whincup claimed the race lead when he pit before the leading
cars. Whincup was never challenged and showed incredible pace, pulling
out to an astonishing eight second lead on two occasions.

"It couldn't be any more satisfying to be racing with four other
competitors who all have the same equipment and to come away with the
win. It is simply sensational," Whincup said.

"The guys got the strategy 100% right by bringing me in early
allowing me to get out in clear air and with good race pace."

"To come from what was a disaster last year to where I am today is a
remarkable achievement for everyone on the team. I am just so
stoked," he added.

Craig Lowndes' weekend largely resembled what Whincup endured in 2008
with damage in both races leaving him with next to no points. Today's
incident saw him retire from the race after he clipped a tyre bundle in
the notorious chicane and broke a pin in the front upright.

"I had a Jamie Whincup weekend on the streets of Hamilton,"
Lowndes lamented.

"It was very disappointing for all the team to see my car back in the
garage with damage in both races, but particularly today's race which
earned me no points what-so-ever." "I can only blame myself for the
shortcomings and I will be looking to make amends at the next event in
two weeks time," he concluded.

The TeamVodafone V8 Supercars will be airlifted back to Brisbane on
Tuesday to begin preparing for the next two rounds of the V8 Supercar
Championship Series which will be held at Victoria's Winton Motor
Raceway in a fortnight's time.